Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-07-06

| out encountering one OF the ever yigilant and
| inquisitive pencil pushers Mr. Conkling
| looked in good health and he is heavier than
when the cares of craftsmanship weighed
| upon him He impre5ses one as a rudy, ro-
| bust man of 81 or Whereabouts. His figure
looks powerful and ATHLETIC in spite of its
| added breadth
| II have nothing to say" is Mr. Conkling's
| stereotyped response to all reportorial inter
| rogatories Il have not been interviewed
| since my retirement from public life If you
| have seen any printed interview with me, YOU
| can make up your mind it entirely i'm
| aginary. | know YOU reporters out west don't
do that sort of thing, but down east they do
| sometimes"
| what do you..think Of"
Really, l have given the subject no con-
sideration. | am out of politics, and
there is no reason why my views should be
aired in the public prints
| Might ask your opinion of y
| u really haven't formed anyI u visit the
city wholly as private citizen, as | am, on
| private business | have come to attend to
some patent cases. the first of which relates
to a patent waHed paper, whose inventor
claims an infringement The case comes up
tomorrow morning in the United States
court
"Mr Conkling, who do you think will be
At this iuneture the ultra cheeky reporter
of an evening paper, who had been drinking
in the Heliconian rill of knowledge that Mr..
Conkling had been pouring forth, arose and
in super fresh manner poked the statesman
| in the most embonpoint portion of his anat-
omy, cxclaiming facetiously:
| ''Oh, You don't mean it. Roscoe, old man. -
This faux pas temporarily upset Mr. Conk
ings dignity.
"As was saving" continued the inter
| viewee, when he recovered his poise Il am
devoting myself exclusively to NV practice,
long neglected for the sake of politics ! may
not be making much fame, but | am max
ing a greater store of lucre. As far as inter
viewing is concerned you could give me more
information than | could give you. | know
less about politics than ! do about almost
anything. You might as we'll question me
about the manufacture of glue as upon the
political outlook"
Have any idea what
mot the slightest. l don't see why the pa
pers care for my opinion upon that or any
other topic The newspaper readers want
the views and ideas of public men and am
no longer public man, | shall never return
to public life under any circumstances what
soever"
do YOU consider that"
II must decline to say as ! am not inter
ested directly in either Ny stay here proba-
| L -,
arrangements have been made to entertain
me? None, that know of Your intima-
ton that the Grant club is to give me a re,
ception on Thursday evening is tine first
have heard of such an event"
In the case of such a reception being
given it would he of somewhat politica
character. Should YOU he at liberty TO at.
tend
"Oh, YES, I would be at liberty to attend
am not in jail, and &c about pretty much
as choose
SHOULD Won attends'
"Wen. l have not received an invitation
yet"
SHOULD you attend if You received an in
vitation2"
Now, / can only repeat that I am visiting
your city as a private citizen, and | have
nothing to say that will interest newspaper
readers"
The reporter sought to obtain Mr.. Conk-
Iing's views upon the impending presidential
campaign, the weather, MIR Blaines Eu.
ropean iaunt, the fashions, socialism, lawn
tennis, protective tariff aud mint jueps, and
the retired statesman followed each interro.
CATION point with;
Il have nothing to say. I am out of poll
tics
And this closed the interview Mr. Conk-
ling is dry pumping for reporters.
"You see. said one of the attorneys in the
case Mr. Conkling is here to attend to, 1--WE
have had nine suits in this business 50 far In
eight of them Mr. Conkling was engaged and
we won them. In the ninth our principal
decided that Mr.. Conkling's words at about
So each were pretty expensive and decided te
dispense with him The suit was lost, and il
this, the next Mr.. Conkllng was again re
tanned / don't know how much he costs, but
do know that though he comes high We mus
have him